The present invention relates to a windproof lighter, and specifically to the type including liquid fuel, a wick, a strike-wheel, and a flint.
Windproof lighters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,517,191 to Flickinger et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 2,032,695 to Gimera et al., which are incorporated by reference in this application.
A windproof lighter 10, as shown in FIG. 1, has a case 12 and an inside unit 14. The case 12 has a top section 16 and a bottom section 18 connected together by a hinge 20. The inside unit 14 is removably secured, preferably snugly fit, within the bottom section 18.
Turning to FIG. 2, the inside unit 14 has an interior chamber 36 and an exterior surface 38. On the exterior surface 38 and the side 39 that projects beyond the bottom section 18 when the inside unit 14 is within the bottom section 18, is, as shown at FIGS. 2 and 4, a chimney 22, a wick opening 23 within the chimney 22, a wick 25, a flint wheel 24 connected to the chimney 22, a flint 26 designed to be positioned below and contacting the flint wheel 24, a tang 30 connected to the chimney 22, and a second resilient member 32 for controlling the position of the tang 30, which assists in the positioning of the top section 16.
The exterior surface 38 also has side walls 35 that contact corresponding side walls of the bottom section 18, and an opening 37 that is positioned opposite;the chimney 22 and allows a user to refill the lighter 10 with lighter fuel, not shown. The interior chamber 36 has a flint position apparatus 28 having a resilient member 42 contained within a tube 40 and a set screw 44. The set screw 44 allows the user to apply sufficient force through the resilient member 42 to the flint 26 so the flint 26 contacts the flint wheel 24.
The interior chamber also has packing material 60 that is designed to contain lighter fuel, and a felt pad 62 positioned at the opening 37, as shown in FIG. 3, between the packing material 60 and the bottom section 18. The felt pad 62 is secured into position by the set screw 44.
The interior chamber also has a wick 25 positioned within the packing material 60, and extending through the wick opening 23.
Windproof lighter 10 operates with lighter fuel and is refillable. The instructions for refilling lighters typically call for (1) removing the inside unit from the case; (2) lifting the corner of the felt pad on the bottom of the insert to reveal the packing material in a fuel chamber, which is the interior of the inside unit; and (3) saturating the packing with lighter fluid by filling it slowly so the inside unit is not overfilled; and (4) inserting the inside unit back into the case; and (5) wiping the lighter and the user""s hands dry before igniting the lighter.
Some lighters have permanent inside units with refill ports on the bottom or on the side of the lighter for refilling the liquid fuel reservoir in the inside unit. These designs have special refilling instructions as well.
Accordingly, there is a need for an easy and reliable way to refill windproof lighters.
The present invention meets the above-described need by providing a disposable liquid fuel cell. The fuel cell is designed to fit within the interior chamber and to not interfere with the flint position apparatus, and the fuel cell has an opening that receives the wick. The wick extends into the interior chamber and has a component that is larger than the opening so that when the fuel cell is properly positioned within the interior chamber, the component secures the fuel cell in position and prevents accidental spillage of the lighter fuel.